


Feels So Much Like Falling

by TimmyKittyCat1



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Angst, Depression, Established Levi/Erwin Smith, Explicit Language, M/M, Self Harm, Suicidal Thoughts, Suicide Attempt, modern high school au, other characters will pop up eventually, you can pretty much just expect the whole gang, yumikuri will possibly pop up as well as springles
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-10
Updated: 2015-12-26
Packaged: 2018-03-11 10:41:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,112
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3324530
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TimmyKittyCat1/pseuds/TimmyKittyCat1
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He looked so small and frail, he distantly wondered what his friends would think if they saw him like this, if they saw all of his scars. Pathetic, he knew what they really thought about him. He knew they were liars. They saw him the same way everybody else did, a pitiful disgrace of a human being.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Kiss My Eyes and Lay Me To Sleep

**Author's Note:**

> I ended up getting depressed and wrote this instead of sleeping. I wrote it really late so please forgive me for any mistakes. I edited it twice but if I missed anything just let me know. Enjoy the angst :3

The song Lullaby by Nickleback was blaring out of the speakers on the desk at a rather loud volume. You could barely hear the small blond’s sob over the music as he buried his face in his pillow miserably. He felt terrible and so very alone. He felt useless, unwanted, like he was a burden. But he wasn’t alone; he had friends, friends who have told him more than once that he’s not a burden. So why is there this _horrible_ feeling inside of him? Why are their voices that are constantly reminding him how pathetic he is, how nobody could ever love a stupid little weakling like himself?

For months he tried to ignore them but as time went on he couldn’t help but wonder if maybe the voices were speaking the truth. Putting on a happy smile each day was easy, nobody ever saw through his facade. No one would ever guess that cute clumsy little Arlert was actually dying on the inside. As days went on his bright azure orbs dimmed and his mask slowly began to shatter. Eren finally took notice of the change in his friend’s behaviors. He had even asked Armin what was wrong. No. The brunet didn’t really care. Nobody cared for him and he was all alone. Even the bullies told him so…

Since he was all alone it wouldn’t matter if died, right? The only problem was that the male was actually very much afraid of death. But his depression was greater than his fear and it only took him three days to finally give in to his misery. Even with it decided he couldn’t help but feel frightened but if killing himself would take away this despair then what choice did he have?

Armin spends another half hour curled up on his bed sobbing. Why did it have to be like this? Why couldn’t things go back to how they were when they were all kids? Why was he having second thoughts now when he had already decided days ago that he would commit suicide? Sniffling he sits up, no, he wouldn’t back down. How he would kill himself was still undecided at the moment. The blond pulls up his sleeves, glancing at the many scars adorning his delicate pale flesh. He could just slit his wrists and bleed out to death. Then again he also had a gun so shooting himself was always an option.

Chewing on his bottom lip for a moment in thought he finally makes his choice and grabs the knife he had taken out of the kitchen earlier. He had the house to himself for the weekend and he wasn’t expecting anybody to come over. Nervously moving to his bathroom he leaves his IPod playing. He allows himself a few seconds to look over himself in the mirror with a frown. He looked so small and frail, he distantly wondered what his friends would think if they saw him like this, if they saw all of his scars. _Pathetic_ , he knew what they really thought about him. He knew they were liars. They saw him the same way everybody else did, a pitiful disgrace of a human being. They had befriended him simply because they felt sorry for him.

“Armin.”

He gasps and takes a step away from the counter, wincing when his back hits the wall. “E-Eren…?”  Swallowing thickly his eyes flicker back to the mirror where his friend’s voice had emanated from. His friends…they were laughing at him, mocking him. He knew they weren’t really there, just a figment of his fucked up imagination. But they sounded _so_ real. Whimpering his lip quivers and he grasps the knife tighter in his hand. He was practically hyperventilating now, “please go away…” His voice sounded so weak even to his own ears. His words only made them laugh louder and letting out an anguished scream he heaves the blade at the mirror. He didn’t even care about the sharp glass shards crunching beneath him as he sunk to the floor crying. It was now or never…

Picking the knife up nimbly from where it had landed Armin pulls up his sleeves once more. A small hiss escapes him when the sharp blade carefully slices through the delicate flesh on his wrist. He bites down hard on his lip to hold back his noises as he tears more of his skin apart. Taking a few deep breaths he finally presses the knife harder. Within a minute there were deep gashes over both of his wrists cut directly over the veins. Pulling his sleeves back down he shuts his eyes, his small frame trembling as he brought the knife to his neck. The blond lets out one last whimper before slitting his throat. It _hurt_ , it hurt so much. But he deserved it. It didn’t take long before black spots appeared at the edge of his vision and he finally slipped into unconsciousness, allowing the darkness to consume him.

Two minutes later the phone on the bed buzzed, revealing a new text message from Eren,

‘Armin answer your fucking door already. I’ve been standing out here for like five minutes. Armin I swear to God I’ll break this door down if you don’t let me in. It’s raining and I’m fucking cold.’


	2. Shattered

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Had the brunet accidentally done something to cause the blond to become upset? He sure hoped he wasn’t at fault but if he was he’d come prepared. He had bought two bags of Armin’s favorite chocolate as well as some of his favorite movies. Eren had it planned all out. He would drag his friend to the living room, start up the fireplace, talk things out, play the movie Sinbad, throw a blanket over Armin, and then feed him some chocolates and cuddle with him. Yep, it was the perfect plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As promised here is chapter two. :3 Happy Valentines Day everyone, now have some more angst. Enjoy~ ^-^

“Fuckin, hell,” the brunet’s scruffy hair was completely drenched along with his Sina High jersey. As if the pouring rain wasn’t bad enough it was also freezing. “Damn it Armin.” He’d been standing outside the blond’s house for five minutes and he was debating about just trying to break the door down. He tried calling the other male four times and had sent over eight text messages, but still no reply. As more minutes passed Eren’s annoyance quickly faded into concern, his Armin had been acting weird lately. Yes, that’s right,  _his_  Armin.

The change in his friend had happened gradually, starting about six months ago. Everyone thought that Eren was clueless about things pertaining to others. They thought he wouldn’t pay attention to little things like Armin smiling less or the fact this his once vibrant ocean eyes had turned dull. The blond was his best friend so of course he noticed. He had even walked in on him crying in the bathroom more than once, but the smaller male always ran out before Eren could ask any questions. In fact Armin’s been avoiding both him and Mikasa for several weeks now and the brunet had become very worried.

Eren frowns and swiftly makes his way to the backdoor.  _Fuck_. It was locked as well, just his luck. Sighing the brunet slumps to the wet ground with an irritated huff. His bright emerald orbs glance up at the large oak wood to his left. One of the tree’s branches was actually really close to the window for the second floor hallway. It wouldn’t be the first time he’s climbed it to get inside but it was raining really hard and he could slip… Then again wasn’t he known for doing stupid and reckless things? Besides, if he stayed outside any longer he could get sick. He also just really wanted to get inside and check on Armin. He needed to find what was wrong with him. Had the brunet accidentally done something to cause the blond to become upset? He sure hoped he wasn’t at fault but if he was he’d come prepared. He had bought two bags of Armin’s favorite chocolate as well as some of his favorite movies. Eren had it all planned out. He would drag his friend to the living room, start up the fireplace, talk things out, play the movie Sinbad, throw a blanket over Armin, and then feed him some chocolates and cuddle with him. Yep, it was the perfect plan. Well, not if he couldn’t even get inside.

Eren slings his backpack over his shoulder and moves closer to the tree. He grabs onto the highest branch he could reach with both of his hands and secures one foot on a gnarl extending from the trunk.  Hoisting himself up, he swings his leg around so he was seated steadily on the branch. Climbing in this kind of weather was extremely difficult and hopefully something he would never have to do again. It took all most all of his upper body strength to keep from falling as he finally made it to the large, sturdy branch a few feet from the window. Thank God it was open. Honestly if it had been closed the brunet would’ve been more than willing to break it. But if that was the case he could’ve just broken one of the windows on the first floor, then again one of the neighbors might have thought he was breaking in and called the police. He doubted Mikasa would bail him out again…

After outstretching one of his arms to open the window a bit wider Eren carefully attempts to jump inside, cursing loudly when his foot slips off the branch too soon. Flailing around frantically his hand catches the windowsill and using the last of his strength he pulls himself inside, tumbling to the floor clumsily. The brunet shuts his eyes tightly and waits several seconds for the pain in his back to subside. Fuck the police; he’d just break the window on the first floor next time.

Ignoring his body’s protests he stands shakily, “Armin? Eren called out, his voice laced with concern. He walks over to the blond’s room, knocking on the door twice. “Armin, are you in there?” Slight muffled music was all he could here from inside the room, “Armin!” He yelled, maybe Armin couldn’t hear him over the song? His heart sinks when there’s still no answer.  _Please don’t be locked, please don’t be locked, God please don’t let it be locked._  Hesitantly turning the doorknob he almost cries. It was locked. The brunet forces himself to remain calm, screaming internally he spoke with gritted teeth, “Armin, please open the door.” He waits a complete minutes before speaking again, “You have one more minute to let me in before I break down this door.” After another minute he began digging through his bag for something he could use to open the door. He was too exhausted to just break it completely by himself. What he finds in the front pocket of his backpack has him screaming into his hands, a key… more specifically the spare key that could open Armin’s front door. He had completely forgotten he even had it.

Eren takes several deep calming breaths before he goes back to focusing on the task at hand, getting into Armin’s room. Pulling out the chocolates and movies he slings his backpack over his shoulder again before ramming into the door with all the force he could muster. It only took two tries before the last of his strength, plus the four textbooks in his bag, thankfully seemed to do the trick as the door came crashing down.

Letting the backpack slide off of his arm his eyes scan the room for the blond. The brunet arches a brow and moves to turn down the music, “Armin, you in here?” He plops down on the bed with a confused frown, his eyes glancing at his friend’s phone. It was so unlike Armin to just ignore his messages and calls like that.

Noticing the bathroom was open a crack Eren stands and walks over, slowly opening the door wider, “Hey, are you okay—” His knees nearly give out at the sight of his friend. His face pales and he looked completely horrified. The brunet had to use the wall to support himself, covering his mouth with one of his hands to prevent himself from screaming. The blond looked so utterly broken curled up on the floor in a pool of his own blood.

Eren wanted to believe that this was a home invasion gone wrong, that Armin hadn’t done this to himself. But as he checked for a pulse and attempted to stop the bleeding he found several scars all over the blond’s arms.  _Why?_  How long has his friend felt like this?  _Why_  did he feel like this? Why hadn’t he told the brunet? He should’ve visited him sooner.  _Oh God_ , what if he’d come too late? He had originally planned on visiting him Saturday instead of tonight. The thought sends a shudder down his spine. Armin barely had a pulse and it was quickly fading as the seconds passed. Carefully stepping over the blond he searches desperately through the cabinets for bandages, glass crunching beneath his shoes.

After finding some he bends back down, ignoring the glass shards stabbing into his knees. He quickly wraps bandages tightly around both of Armin’s upper arms as a makeshift tourniquet before wrapping some more around his wrists and then neck. The bleeding stopped but he had already lost quite a lot of blood. His phone was wet from being inside his soaked jersey but luckily it was still functioning.

“911, what is your emergency?”

“M-my friend, he tried to kill himself. Please help, he’s lost a lot of blood, h-he’s dying!” Eren hadn’t even realized he’d been crying until now. After answering a couple of more questions and stating the address he tosses his phone. He carefully cradles the blond in his arms and stands, heading downstairs. Setting Armin down on the couch he unlocks the front door and quickly returns to his friend’s side, pulling him into his lap.

“…Eren, I‘m s-sorry…” The words came out quiet and slightly garbled.

Eren stares down at him with wide eyes, surprised he was awake or even able to form sentences. The brunet frowns and holds him closer, running a hand through his golden locks, “Shh...” He grabs his hand and entwines their fingers, resting his chin on Armin’s head. He shuts his bright jade orbs, fighting back tears as he began humming a familiar tune that made the blond smirk.

“Dork…” Armin coughed out, his lips curving into a small smile.

Eren chuckled softly, smiling fondly when the other male gripped his hand tighter. “You are my sunshine, my only sunshine,” his voice had a small tremor to it. “You make me happy when skies are gray,” he turns the blond around in his arms. “You’ll never know dear how much I love you,” he gently pushes Armin’s bangs out of his face. “So please don’t take,” Eren places a kiss on his pale forehead, “my sunshine away,” Armin’s eyes flutter shut and his hand goes limp as the paramedics rush inside the house.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the first paragraph when I said 'his Armin' it had actually originally been a mistake. But when I had my sister look over my writings she pointed out my error, laughed, and told me to keep it. So I did. xD
> 
> Also, I might get a third chapter out today possibly.
> 
> Thank you for all the kudos and comments everyone! :D Those are what keep me going. ~(^v^)~


	3. Beautiful Cruel World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You shouldn’t throw your life away like this, Armin.”
> 
> “I’m not going back!”
> 
> “Armin, didn’t you once say that you wanted to explore the world?”
> 
> “Yeah, but I was just a kid then. I’ll be lucky if I ever make it to the Ocean let alone out of the country…” He feels a pang in his chest at the sudden realization. He hasn’t made it the Ocean yet and if he stayed dead then he never would.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pst, you should listen to the english version of Beautiful Cruel World by adrisaurus on youtube.
> 
> Enjoy~ :3

Eren’s singing was the last thing the blond heard before everything went black, _literally_ black. He couldn't see anything and just as he was beginning to panic a comforting warmth spread throughout his entire being. But, where was he? Purgatory? The voices were gone and he felt…at peace. That was really the only way to describe the feeling. The darkness all around him seemed like it would consume him, yet he wasn’t afraid. There was a bright light in the far distance and without even thinking he begins walking towards it almost instinctively.

“Armin.”

The blond’s sapphire orbs widen when he feels a hand on his shoulder and he whips his head around, “Marco?” He felt himself freeze in place.

Marco had died about a year ago in a _really_ bad car accident. Nobody knew what exactly happened. When the police arrived the car was in flames and the brunet had been burned so badly he was unrecognizable. The cause of the accident was still unknown to this day.

“Hey, Ar,” the taller male chuckled softly, pulling him into a hug. He gave Armin a comforting smile when the blond hugged back tightly.

Armin couldn’t believe he was seeing Marco again after so long. The brunet looked exactly the same besides the fact he had a slight glow to him. Was this really happening? Was he dreaming? Hallucinating maybe? It felt _so_ very real.

“C’mon, there’s no need to cry,” he rubbed Armin’s back soothingly when he began to tremble.

The smaller male wasn’t sure how long he stood there clinging to Marco like a lifeline, he just knew he didn’t want to let go. He was too afraid that if he did he would wake up; that he would discover this wasn’t really happening. He didn’t want to wake up. He didn’t want to be plunged back into reality where he felt alone and unloved…

“Armin…you shouldn’t be here,” he stared down at his friend sadly.

“W-what…?” The blond took a step back and stared up at him in confusion.

“It’s not your time,” Marco placed another hand on his shoulder, surprised when Armin shoved him away with a glare.

“How do you know?! What right do you have telling me that?! Was it really your time when you died so horrifically?!” Armin immediately regretted his words when he saw how saddened the brunet had become. His shoulder’s slump and he stares at the ground, letting his hair cover his face, “Everyone misses you so much, no one will miss me…” It’s not like he had that many friends. Besides, he had already made his choice. He wanted to kill himself so he did. End of story. It was over and done with. He _wasn’t_ going back.

“What about Eren?” A new voice broke through the silence.

Armin’s fists clench at his sides and he doesn’t bother looking up, “He’ll get over me...” And so would everyone else, he would easily be forgotten soon enough.

“You shouldn’t throw your life away like this, Armin,” the elderly man moved in front of the blond, forcing his grandson to look at him.

The blond slowly meets his Grandfather’s gaze, his lip quivering, “I’m sorry.” He forces back a sob. He hadn’t seen his Grandpa since he was eleven.

Marco moves closer to the two, “What about Eren and Mikasa? What about Jean, Sasha, and Connie? Not to mention Annie, Bertholdt, and Reiner. What about your parents? They'll all miss you, Armin. You’re not alone; you have people who care about you. I didn’t get a choice when I died but you do.”

“I’m not going back!” Armin slumped to the ground, hugging his knees to his chest. If his friends really cared about him wouldn’t they have noticed his change in behavior? Wouldn’t they have noticed he was dying on the inside? Wouldn’t they have tried to help him?

“Armin, didn’t you once say that you wanted to explore the world?”

The blond glances up at his Grandfather for a moment before quickly averting his eyes, “Yeah, but I was just a kid then. I’ll be lucky if I ever make it to the Ocean let alone out of the country…” He feels a pang in his chest at the sudden realization. He _hasn’t_ made it the Ocean yet and if he stayed dead then he never would. When he was younger his Grandpa would read books to him that described the beautiful turquoise ocean waters of the Caribbean. Books that said if you climbed Mount Everest you would be standing at the top of the world, books that talked about the gorgeous ice filled landscape of Greenland… There was so much he wanted to see.

Armin lets out a squeak when the ground beneath him suddenly changed; scooting back until he was on the part of the floor that remained black. The blond’s eyes flicker back to the floor that now seemed to be playing some sort of video. It showed the inside of an ambulance… He curiously moves closer, his eyes widening. It showed _himself_. His body was hooked up to various devices and there were two medics. He was flat lining and they were desperately trying to revive him. Behind them he saw Eren sitting on a bench, his knees to his chest and his hands covering his face.

A wave of guilt hit the blond hard as he watched Eren closely. He was crying so hard he was actually shaking. Eren really did care about him a lot didn’t he? Throughout his whole childhood Eren had always been there for him. Eren would protect him from bullies even when it meant he would get hurt. He would hold the blond’s hand when he was afraid and comfort him when he was upset. Armin had actually faced a lot of his fears with Eren by his side. Swallowing thickly he ducks his head, “I… I’ll go back.”

Both Marco and his Grandfather visibly relaxed.

Armin shakily moves to hug Marco again and then his Grandpa. “I’ll miss you…” The statement was directed at both of them.

The older male smiled warmly, lightly ruffling his grandson’s hair. “We’ll miss you too,” he placed his light blue sunhat on Armin’s head.

“Hey Ar, make sure to keep Jean in check for me, okay?” Marco grinned.

Armin grinned back at him, “Sure thing.”

 

* * *

 

“We’re losing him!” One of the medics cried out.

“Just keep trying!” The other one yelled.

Eren had stopped listening to them awhile ago, too deep in his own thoughts to pay them any attention. This _couldn’t_ be happening. No. Armin couldn’t die. He was his best friend, he couldn’t lose him. But the blond had already lost a lot of blood before the EMT's even arrived so the likelihood of him surviving was slim. Even so the brunet had convinced himself that everything would be fine.

He had been crying since before he even got on the ambulance but it wasn’t until he heard his friend flat line that his composure completely shattered. His body was racked with sobs and he was trembling. How could he have let this happen? Why hadn’t he tried talking to him weeks ago? He should’ve checked on him sooner! This was all his fault. “Armin, please, _please_ wake up…” The words weren’t louder than a whisper.

After a few more seconds the heart monitor’s flat piercing tone went up a beat, “E-Eren…?”

Both of the medics froze in shock for several seconds.

Eren shot upwards, stopping himself from running over to the blond when he remembered the limited space he had in the vehicle. He didn’t want to end up being in the way. Wiping away his tears he tried to contain his joy. _Thank God_.

The medics quickly went back to saving the blond. One messed with his IV while the other placed a breathing mask over Armin’s mouth.

There were a few minutes of silence while one medic checked over all of his vital signs, “He’s stable.”

The small male mumbled something quiet and incoherent but Eren did hear his whimper. In an instant he was by his friend’s side, careful not to bump into anybody.

“I’m here, Armin.” The blond weakly lifted his hand and Eren took the hint, entwining their finger’s again with a shaky tearful smile, “I’m here.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the kudos and comments guys! :D 'finish this magnificent piece of agony' was one of my favorite comments xDD I promise there will be fluff in the upcoming chapters.


	4. Iridescent

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> — Nine years prior
> 
>  
> 
> “Are you going to die?”
> 
> “W-what?!”
> 
> “Eren, shush,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mer Christmas! Well day after Christmas. I was planning on posting this last night but I didn't have a chance to finish reading it over one last time. I finished the majority of this months ago but I was never happy with it enough to post it. Then I finally got to adding that last part it and got someone's opinion on it. This is by far the longest chapter and I hope you enjoy it!

Pain, Armin awoke to very intense pain. His head was spinning and his vision was blurry. There was a burning sensation in his neck and wrists that made tears spill out of the corners of his eyes. He was vaguely aware of two fuzzy blurs moving around him but he couldn’t make out details. Moving slightly he realized there was something attached to his right arm. Where was he? What was going on?

He let out a quiet whine when whatever he was lying on was abruptly jerked up and then back down all in half a second. Okay, so some sort of vehicle? Learn how to drive moron. But why was he here? The last thing he remembered was...he was in his house and Eren had been there...and--

E-Eren…?” He wasn’t even sure if he had even managed to speak audibly. He catches a third blur in the corner of his eye as an oxygen mask was placed over his mouth.

A small whimper escaped him as he felt darkness dragging him under. Feeling panic start to rise in his chest he weakly reached out. He forced his eyes open when he felt another hand grasp his own. He was pretty sure that was the brunet. Through what faint noise he could hear it sounded like his friend. Armin couldn’t really understand what Eren was saying but the sound of the familiar voice managed to calm him down a bit. Confused, scared azure eyes met saddened emerald green one’s and for several moments they just stared at each other. Ignoring the pain, ignoring everything, they focused on one another. Communicating without words. A comforting smile spread across the brunet’s face and the smaller male smiled back softly.

Armin squeezed the other’s hand, his eyes slowly closing once more as anesthesia pulled him under. He didn’t even try to fight it, knowing everything would be fine. He trusted his friend. As long as Eren was by his side he would never let anything bad happen to him.

— Nine years prior

The flurry of snow quickly rained down harder and thicker as the afternoon faded into the evening. The sun slowly set and the temperature began dropping into the teens. The waiting room of Saint Reiss Hospital was mainly quiet save for some small chatter amongst a few nurses. A small blond was seated on a raven haired man’s lap, a blanket draped over his shoulders. The little boy was clutching a ripped bunny plush to his chest, trembling slightly.

“Let me hold him.”

Levi nodded and carefully handed the child over to Erwin. He had only been with them for about a year now. Honestly he wasn’t much of a children’s person but this kid had quickly grown on him. Armin had happily accepted him into the family, even calling him ‘mommy’ to the short man’s dismay. The small boy had even baked him a cupcake on Mother's Day. It had tasted horrible but Levi appreciated the sentiment. If you looked close enough it was easy to see the concern on his face behind his usual expression that appeared non-caring to most.  
“It hurts,” Armin sniffled, clinging to his father tightly.

Erwin frowned and rubbed his sons back comfortingly, “I know. I'm sure the Doctor will see you soon enough.” This wasn’t the first time Armin’s had to go the hospital after being beat up but this time the other children had acted even more violent than usual. Along with Armin’s several cuts, bruises, and a bloody nose his left leg had also been broken. Luckily they lived relatively close by to the hospital. He’d have to to have another talk with those kids and their parents. Maybe he’d bring Levi with him this time.

“Armin Arlert? The Doctor will see you now,” one of the nurses called from a doorway, making her way over to them with a small wheelchair.

Erwin stood, attempting to pull the blond off of himself, “Armin, you need to let go of me.

“Okay…” Armin reluctantly released his grip, letting himself be placed in the wheelchair. He kept his head down as he was pushed down the hallway, holding a tissue to his nose. The bleeding finally seemed to be letting up a bit. At least his nose didn't seem broken.

“Doctor Jaeger will be with you in a moment,” the woman said as she pushed the wheelchair into one of the rooms.

Armin really wasn’t too fond of hospitals. There was too much white, the gowns were stupid and poorly designed, and there was this nauseating overly clean smell throughout the whole place. One of the older boys had once told him of the morgue located somewhere beneath one section of the hospital. The thought always left an unsettling feeling in his stomach. But he did like Grisha.

The small blond glanced beside him, reaching out for his father with a whine. Erwin quickly stepped closer, allowing Armin to cling to his arm.

“Evening Armin,” a familiar voice spoke.

Armin glanced towards the doorway, “Hello Mr. Jaeger.” Grisha gave him a small smile, walking towards them with a clipboard in hand.

“The older children again?

Erwin simply nodded with a frown. Grisha sighed, shaking his head. He’d lost count of how many times he’s had to treat Armin now. He handed the blond another tissue for his nose as he knelt down to check over his leg. After a couple of minutes he leaned back,

“His leg is definitely broken but we’ll need to take some x-rays to determine what kind of fracture he has.” He spent a few more minutes checking over some of his other injuries before he moved to grab some band-aids. Holding up a few small boxes of them Armin pointed to the Batman themed ones in confirmation. Grisha bent back down and disinfected the cuts first before placing the band-aids on them.

After that he moved to grab an IV stand. He began searching through some cabinets as Erwin carefully placed Armin on the small medical bed.

“I’ll be giving you some pain killers now.” The child nodded, still keeping his head down. The adults didn’t even bother trying to pry the plush bunny away from him. Grisha pulled on some medical gloves and dipped a cotton ball in some cleaning alcohol before wiping the crook of Armin’s elbow with it. Another nurse came over as he wrapped a tourniquet around the boy’s upper arm. The man checked over the catheter tubing before placing the needle inside of it.

Armin bit down on his lip and turned his head, shutting his eyes tightly. Sure he was used to this procedure but he still didn’t like needles. His father placed a hand on his shoulder and the smaller blond forced himself to relax. All the while Levi stayed by the door of the small room. He was leaning against the wall, his arms crossed. The raven haired male really didn't consider himself the best at being comforting so he stayed off to the side silently.

The nurse gently held the boy’s arm steady as Grisha inserted the needle into his arm. Blood began to fill the hub of the catheter, indicating he had directly hit the vein. It was a skill any good doctor had. He cautiously pulled the needle out of the vein, keeping pressure on the skin. He made sure the catheter was in the vein before pulling off the tourniquet. After that he secured the lower part of catheter hub with some sterile bandages.

“It’s almost over,” Grisha paused to ruffle the boy’s hair lightly, smiling when Armin relaxed some more. He pulled the needle the rest of the way out, disposing of it in it's container. He placed the IV tubing into the end of the catheter and locked it in place. With that done he secured the IV against his skin and placed a piece of tape over the hub before making a loop in the catheter’s tubing. After another minute of taping and checking the flow of fluid in the IV he was done.

“There, that wasn’t so bad was it?” The blond pried an eye open to look over his arm as Grisha began heading towards the door, “You should start feeling better in a few minutes. I’ll be right back,” he disposed of his gloves and headed out of the room.

“You doing okay?”

Armin glanced up at Levi and nodded, “Yeah” He stared at the IV with a small grimace.

The next few minutes went by relatively fast and soon enough the pain medicine kicked in. Armin adjusted himself on the bed so he was seated a bit more comfortably, careful not to mess with his IV. His mind wondered back to earlier events, causing the blond’s shoulders to slump. Stupid older kids. He clutched his broken plush tighter. They were just meanies. He had tried just ignoring them at first but the things they said--

“We’ll be taking those x-rays now,” Grisha spoke as he re-entered the room, interrupting the boy from his thoughts. “Follow me,” he waited for Armin to be placed back in his wheelchair before leading the way to the x-ray room. Levi pushed the IV stand as Erwin pushed the boy’s wheelchair.

Grisha really was Armin’s favorite doctor. The man had treated him multiple times and in the blond’s eyes the man could fix anything. He was one of the nicest doctor's he had met and it was obvious to see how much he really cared about what he did.

The next couple of hours went by rather slow after the x-rays were taken. Armin was on the medical bed, still holding Flopsy as Erwin and Levi talked with Grisha outside. The x-ray images had finally come out and the small blond wasn't really paying much attention to their conversation. I just want to go home already... The one thing he had managed to over hear was something about needing surgery. No, no, no. He didn't want surgery. Just the thought of it made him start to panic.

“Are you going to die?”

“W-what?!” The small child looked absolutely horrified at the notion. Was he?! No, he wasn't. Right? Wait, who had even asked that?! It was an unfamiliar voice. Armin, cautious of his injuries, sat up and looked around. He was meant with the gaze of a little brunet boy with big green eyes.

“Eren, shush,” Grisha said sternly as he broke away from his talk with Erwin and Levi. He shot Eren a small glare that made the boy wince. Doctor Jaeger glanced over at Armin reassuringly, “You're not going to die.” The blond visibly relaxed.

“Eren why aren't you still in the daycare area?” Grisha sighed. He really wasn't surprised that his son had left.

The boy pouted and crossed his arms, “It was boring there...I thought I'd get to watch you work today.”

“You know how busy I am. I don't have time to keep an eye on you and my patients.”

“But Dad,” Eren drawled rather annoyingly.

Grisha stared down at him for several more seconds before he finally gave in. “Fine, why don't you keep Armin some company while I talk with his parents?”

The small brunet's face lit up and he nodded enthusiastically, “Okay!”

Grisha turned back towards Erwin and neither him nor Levi made any objections about Eren as they were shown some papers and their discussion resumed.

Eren moved closer to the other child and remained smiling, “Hi.”

Armin gave him a small awkward and hesitant wave, “Hi...”

They both remained silent for a few more moments before Eren titled his head, “You have a weird name.”

Armin's frown deepened and he turned away, hiding his face in his plush. Well this was just great. Another meanie. Just his luck. What a great day this was. There was a reason he preferred to hang out alone or with just his parents.

Sensing he had unintentionally upset the fair-haired kid Eren quickly added, “Weird doesn't mean bad.” His smile returned when Armin peered out from his bunny. Looking him over he pointed to his band-aids, “I like your band-aids.”

The blond's lips curved upwards into a small smile, “Thanks.” Okay maybe he wasn't so bad after all. Maybe he hadn't meant to sound mean earlier. Armin watched as Eren clumsily climbed onto the bed with him. They again sat there silently for awhile with Levi occasionally glancing at them, keeping a watchful eye. Armin chewed on his bottom lip nervously when his gaze moved back to the adults. Were they sure about surgery? Maybe they were wrong. He really hoped so.

Eren stared at Armin, confused by his new frown. What was wrong now? Turning his head he listened in on his father. Oh, surjery? That must be why he looked so upset. He scooted closer towards the other child,

“I'm sure you'll be fine, my Dad's a genie—genu--” Eren furrowed his brows in annoyance as he tried to remember the word. Ah, he'd just try and think of it later. “He's really smart!” When Armin didn't respond or stop frowning the brunet's shoulder slumped. Hm...

“What's its name?” Eren motioned at the bunny Armin was clutching onto tightly. Armin seemed reluctant to answer as he looked down at his plush and back at Eren several times.  
“Mr. Flopsy.”

“Ooh, okay,” Eren nodded. “Can I hold him?” He asked innocently.

Armin looked almost offended at the question, shaking his head as he held onto Mr. Flopsy even tighter. “No...he's broken,” his voice was quiet and sad, his head hanging low.  
“Oh...” Eren frowned himself when suddenly an idea came to him. He smiled brightly at Armin, “Can I please, please hold him? I promise to give him back in a few minutes.”

The blond glanced back up, staring at him for awhile as he thought it over. What was the worst that could happen? His father and mommy were right outside the door. “Okay...” He finally nodded as he slowly and nervously held out his plush to Eren who quickly took it. The brunet was careful not to drop the dismembered arm and ear as he scrambled off of the bed and searched around the lower cabinets for a step stool. Finding one he stepped up on it and set Flopsy down on a tray.

Armin watched curiously from his bed. What was he doing?

Grisha glanced back over at the two when he heard Eren rummaging through some equipment. When Erwin noticed Eren he paused his speech and took a step into the room. Grisha simply held up a hand to stop the taller man. Erwin raised a brow but complied. He kept his eye on the small brunet as he continued talking.

Eren pulled out some bandages and tape before he turned back to the bunny plush. After about two more minutes he happily stepped down from the stool. He climbed back onto Armin's bed and proudly held out Mr. Flopsy who now had some bandages keeping his arm and ear attached.

He...he fixed him? Wide surprised azure orbs stared at him, mouth slightly agape since he was lost for words. Accepting his plush back he set Flopsy aside before suddenly pulling Eren in for a hug. Though the position was a bit awkward considering his broken leg.

“Thank you.” Armin beamed, pulling back from the hug to grab Mr. Flopsy again. That was one of the nicest things anyone's ever done for him.

Eren nodded, “You're welcome,” and moved to Armin's side.” He was glad he had gotten him to stop frowning now. “So,” he drawled, “What happened to you anyway?”  
“Some older kids beat me up,” he hugged Flopsy to his chest. He had even been shoved off the slide hence his broken leg.

Eren cocked his head, “Why?”

Armin shrugged and stared down, “They don't like me.” That and the fact he plays with plushies. And he was already better at learning than them even at this young of an age.

The brunet's brows furrowed again at his answer, “Well that's stupid.” That's no reason to beat someone up. Reasons to fight are if someone insults you or something. Eren of all people should know this. Hm, that actually may be the reason he doesn't have many friends... Well besides Mikasa but she doesn't count.

Armin sighed sadly and nodded in agreement, “Yeah...”

Eren sat up straight, “Well I like you.”

Armin raised his own brow at him, “But we just met.” Not very long ago at all in fact.

“Mmhm, and I like you already. The other kids are just idiots.”

The smaller child smirked quietly at that, not bothering to protest.

Eren set a hand on his hip and pointed his thumb at his chest, “And because I like you I'm not going to let anything bad happen to you.” He held out his hand and extended his pinky, “I promise.”

The blond stared at the hand, his gaze drifting back up to Eren's face which was full of sincerity. Smiling and without a second thought Armin accepted the pinky promise.

— The next morning

"You'll be fine!"

"But didn't you think I was going to die just yesterday?"

The brunet winced, " Well yeah, but that was then. Besides," he smiled proudly and sat on his haunches, " you're being treated by my dad."

Armin strangely didn't find comfort in that thought. Even the most skillful doctors could easily lose a patient, especially during surgery. He wrapped a protective arm around himself, keeping his eyes on the white sheet beneath him. He'd be fine. Nothing would happen. He wouldn't even be conscious during the operation. What could possibly go wrong? A lot of things actually. Things that the small child couldn't help but dwell on.

"Armin!"

He jumped in place, frightened blue hues gazing up at the other child who'd suddenly moved closer to him. Eren. Armin really didn't know why he'd taken such a liking to him. They'd only meant a day ago yet the other boy already acted as if they were good friends. The blond really didn't know how to react to that. He'd never been particularly good at socializing. Was this how friendships normally went? He'd read plenty of books on all kinds of subjects but not this one.

"You're gonna be okay."

The reassuring smile he was meant with was undoubtedly genuine. He still couldn't comprehend why though. Why was he so concerned about him? Why did he care? How could he sound so confident about such an obvious lie? His shoulder's slumped and he adverted his eyes solemnly. "You can't know that..." No one could.

Eren stared at him nonchalantly, tilting his head slightly, " But I promised, remember?"

Armin shot him a glare, shoulder's tensing, "You can't just--" His dark azure, gray tinted optics widened, gazing down at the hand on top of his own. He glanced back up to meet emerald hues, the innocence was plain to see but there was also something else. His brows furrowed in thought for several seconds. Eren was a lot different than the other children. There was just...something about him. Slowly a small smile formed on his face, "Okay..."

The brunet's smile widened and he gently squeezed the smaller boy's hand, "Good! You should be walking again in no time." He grabbed the bunny plush from off the edge of the bed and handed it over to the blond.

Armin nodded, lips curved upwards as he clutched Flopsy to his chest and held onto the boy's hand, "Yeah."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ten months late. I honestly have no idea when I'll get out another one considering my muse is more into another story I'm writing but haven't published on here yet.  
> If you noticed how I've been switching between different third persons, good for you. I have my reasons.  
> Hoped you enjoyed the chapter and I'm really, really sorry how late this is!


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